Thursday, December 4, 2008

Tomato

Yes, Tomato is that good. Thank you to all the bloggers who talked about this store. It proved well worth the visit. I've never seen so many women buying fabric. Home dressmaking is alive and well in Japan.

Nippori is easy too get to - just take the JR Yamanote line. This map is just outside the East exit of the station (head for the North exit first, then signs to the East exit will appear). If you click on this map you can see it in more detail.

Whether you are a dressmaker, a crafter or a quilter, you are bound to be happy with the selection on offer. My favourite floor was the 4th floor. The 5th floor was also interesting with great bag handles, braids and the like.

There was oodles of linen in all weights and colours. The 100 yen rack near the front door was very popular. It was a complete crush around that area and it was hard to get a close look at the fabric for all the women standing in front of it.

7 comments:

i could look at japanese fabric shops all day...infact i did look at one nearly all day when there in january...much to the families dismay....met them for lunch...met them afterwards....had only been in one shop...lucky you...

I was at Tomato in October, when I was in Japan. I had read alot about it and it's really an amazing shop with lots of great and hard to find fabric! I just felt sorry I went there with my boyfriend and couldn't spend hours looking around. :D Even so, I spent about 10 000 yen there.

So I have a possibly dumb question, but I'm going to ask because I really want to know.

When you're in a Japanese fabric store and you want fabric off a bolt, how do you ask for/buy it? I'm used to American fabric stores where I take the bolt down to the register and ask for however many yards I need. Is it the same in Japan, but just with meters? Or is there some other purchasing etiquette I should know?

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This blog has been created out of a desire to have a central source for all things relating to Japanese craft. It has details on where to find crafts and craft resources in Japan - for those of us lucky enough to travel there.

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